2018 FIFA World Cup: what you need to know
TRAVEL agents are already
receiving plenty of
enquiries for the 2018
FIFA World Cup in Russia.
From host cities to the local
agencies that are accredited to
book travel to the event, we’ve
covered it all in this feature.
Important dates
The event takes place from
June 14 to July 15 and will be
the first ever World Cup held
in Eastern Europe. The dates
of the biggest games – the
quarter-finals, semi-finals and
finals – will only be announced
closer to kick-off.
Jacqui Reid, product
manager of Go Sports Travel,
says the most noteworthy
dates for South African
travellers will largely depend
on which games the South
African team make it through
to – that’s if they qualify to
take part in the event.
Different venues
A total of 64 matches will
be played in 12 venues in
11 cities. All but one of
the stadium venues are in
European Russia, west of
the Ural Mountains, to keep
travel time manageable. The
final match will take place
in Moscow at the famous
Luzhniki Stadium. Agents
expect the other big games to
take place in either Moscow
or Saint Petersburg, a port city
on the Baltic Sea.
According to Nicky Bell,
director of Edusport Travel and
Tours, the draw for the FIFA
World Cup will take place in
December and only then will
it be announced which teams
are playing against each other
and where their matches will
be played.
Accredited agencies
The full list of travel agencies
that have been accredited
to book travel hasn’t been
released yet, but Nicky
confirms that Edusport Travel
and Tours and Fli Afrika
are both appointed official
resellers for Match Hospitality.
“As an official reseller for
Match Hospitality, we are able
to sell category one tickets
and hospitality for every
match,” she says.
Candice Perry, marketing
campaign and brochure
co-ordinator of Thompsons
Travel, says agencies that
aren’t accredited to book
travel for this event will still be
able to outsource tickets.
“At the moment, we are
building packages on a
request basis as it depends
which matches or cities the
clients are interested in,”
she says.
However, Greg Taylor, gm of
Pure Sport and Pure Skiing,
stresses that securing tickets
for the 2018 FIFA World Cup is
going to be tricky for agencies
that have to outsource.
“Ticketing will run on a live bid
system directly through FIFA
itself, as it did when the FIFA
World Cup was held in South
Africa in 2010,” he explains.
“That said, we should have
availability for accommodation,
transfers and so on – but we
can’t be sure at this stage.”
A lucrative opportunity for ITCs
ITCs are getting more
involved in booking sports
travel packages from both
a participant and spectator
perspective, saying it’s a
lucrative opportunity for
them.
Wally Gaynor, md of
Club Travel Group SA, says
booking sports packages
can be incredibly lucrative
for ITCs, especially when
booking groups. “We have
one partner who only
specialises in sports and
sporting events who is
very successful and proves
that you have to know
what you are doing. This
type of travel is very hard
work and presents a lot of
challenges,” he says.
Jacqui Reid of Go Sports
Travel, has seen an upturn
in ITCs getting involved
in booking sports travel,
especially for clients who
wish to spectate. She says
that although sports travel
is still a niche market in SA,
ITCs have identified
this segment of travel as a
major opportunity. “Agents
have noticed that sports
enthusiasts always have
money to spend on their
passion. Plus, there are
so many popular sporting
events they can book –
rugby, football, cricket, cycling
and golf, to name just a few.”
ITCs confirm that it is
easier for them to book
sports travel for spectators.
“Although there are agents
who specialise in booking
sports travel for spectators,
we are receiving more and
more requests. I definitely
think this is one dimension
of travel that has major
potential for ITCs,” says
Yusuf Moola, owner of Fresh
Travel.
On the flip side, Glenda
Ingram, owner of West
Beach Travel, says it can
be challenging for ITCs to
get sports travel bookings
because there are still lots
of travellers who would rather
book sports travel through
agents who specifically sell
these types of
packages. “For
example, I belong
to a running club
but I can’t get
the rates that
are packaged for
overseas events.
It’s also difficult
to get hold of a
wholesaler who
offers sports trips
apart from golf
tours and the F1
Grand Prix,” she
explains.
That said, Glenda still
thinks there is an opportunity
for ITCs to book at least
some part of these clients’
travel. She says she has
a client who often goes on
fishing trips and books the
fishing trip itself through a
specialised fishing agent, but
his flights through Glenda.
Princess Majiki, md of
Khuseleka Travel & Shuttles,
agrees with Glenda and
says it can be difficult for
ITCs to start selling sports
travel, but she doesn’t think
it’s impossible.
“A few years
ago, I had an
opportunity
to work on an
account involving
soccer players.
This brought in
a lot of money
so although
getting involved
in sports travel
is hard work, it
does pay off,”
she says.
Greg Taylor of Pure Sport
and Pure Skiing expects
more ITCs to start getting
involved in sports travel in
coming years. “Yes, this
type of travel may be niche
– but there’s certainly a big
market for it in SA. South
Africans have always been
‘sports mad’, and offering
sporting packages gives ITCs
a more diverse offering to
their clients.” He says sports
travel isn’t only appealing
to leisure travellers, but to
corporates in the form of
incentives, too.
Cycling holidays on the rise
CYCLING is arguably the
fastest-growing sport in South
Africa and travel agents are
seeing an increased interest
in cycle tour packages from
clients who would like to
spectate and participate.
Traveller types
Cycle tour packages are
suitable for travellers of all
ages and appeal as much to
solo travellers as they do to
couples and groups who want
to meet like-minded people.
Some agents book cycling
tours for competitive cyclists
who want to take part in some
of the biggest events on the
cycling calendar and couples
who want to incorporate their
passion for cycling into a
healthy honeymoon.
Making bookings
Jacqui Reed of Go Sports
Travel, says the most
important factor when booking
cycling holidays – whether
clients want to participate
or spectate, or both – is
using a reputable destination
management company.
She says using an
established DMC eliminates
the stress of agents having
to package cycling holidays,
as they can be tricky to put
together and take lots of time
and research.
Favourite destinations
Tuscany is a firm favourite
among leisure cyclists and
is good for day mountain
biking tours varying from
22km to 50km. Another is
Majorca, with accessible rides
to the beaches, mountains
and cultural highlights on
superb roads and challenging
mountain biking routes.
Thailand is a fantastic choice
for serious cyclists because it
offers routes that are perfect
for expert triathlon training.
Add-on activities
Other activities factor in well
with a cycling holiday, such
as a luxury spa break with a
healing sports massage.
Other great options include
aqua-spinning classes, which
help build strength, and
yoga, which helps cyclists
improve strength, balance and
breathing control.
Some tour operators also
offer tailor-made packages for
travellers who wish to combine
cycling holidays with watching
events such as the Tour de
France and Giro d’Italia.
Don’t forget insurance!
Simmy Micheli, sales and
marketing manager of Travel
Insurance Consultants, says
all leisure sporting activity,
including cycling, is usually
covered on a regular travel
insurance policy. “Professional
sporting activities, organised
sporting events and hazardous
pursuits may require some
consideration for the insurer.
Rates and terms may be
adjusted in relation to the
activity. As there is a great
demand for this kind of cover,
we should see some exciting
product developments in the
future.”
Sheena Chandler, travel
bank card programme and
marketing specialist of Bryte
Insurance Company, says Bryte
Travel Insurance also covers
leisure cyclists on most of
its policies, but doesn’t cover
competitive cyclists at all.
She says some policies also
offer full cover for travellers
who watch competitive cycling
events from the sidelines.
Simmy says bicycles are
insured under luggage cover
but travellers should be sure
to note the terms of luggage
cover, including single item
limits. “The real value of
the bicycle is covered on a
travel insurance policy and
it’s therefore unlikely that
travellers will make additional
arrangements on personal
risks cover.
